Samuel f



(No Model.) v

S. P. GOLD.

7 AUTOMATIC WATER FEEDER. o. 354,780. Patented Dec. 21, 1886.

WITNESSES.-

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PATENT Trice.

SAMUEL F. GOLD, OF ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

AUTO MATIC WATER-FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming, part of Letters Patent No."354,780, datedDecember 21, 1886. Application filed June 5, 1886. Serial No. 204,220.(N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL F. GOLD, a citizen of the United States,residing in Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey,have invented a new and useful Automatic Water-Feeder; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to automatic water-feeders for controllingthe supply of water in boilers or other vessels, and is especiallyadapted to low-pressure steam-generating apparatus used forheatingbuildings. For such purposes it is desirable to control the flow ofwater by means of automatic feeders, which will operate reliably tosupply any waste of water and to keep the water in the heating apparatusat substantially the same water-line, and thereby prevent the liability,on the one hand, of reducing the efficiency of the apparatus byflooding, and, on the other hand, of burning and destroying the heatingapparatus by too small a supply.

The object of the present invention is to produce a strong, compact,economical, and reliably-operating automatic water-feeder for the usesabove "speoified,-in which the valve which controls the flow of thewater to the boiler is located in a chamber below the boiler-,connection and below the supply or inlet pipe,

for the reasons hereinafter fully set forth.

My water-feeder may be constructed substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and as shown in the accompanying drawing, in which theoperative parts of the feeder are shown in central section, and aredesignated by letters, and described as follows:

A represents a float carrying avalve, B, the fioat being inclosed in orsurrounded by a case or shell, 0. The float is preferably made ofsheet-copper or other non-corrosive metal, and is preferablyspherical-shaped, and is hollow to render it light and buoyant. Theinclosing-case O is also preferably, for the purposes of economy ofconstruction, strength, compactness, and appearance, spherical in shape,and sufficiently larger than the float to permit the latter to move upand down in it to close and open its valve B, as hereinafter explained.The case may be properly made of sheet-copper in two parts, which aresoldered or brazed together after the float has been inserted. The case0 inclosing the float is provided at its upper and lower surface withtubular fittings a a, secured to the wall of the case by soldering orbrazing, and forming openings into the case from opposite points. Tothese fittings are secured in the usual way cross-fittings Z) I), and tothe lower cross-fitting, b, is attached a T- coupling, 0, to which issecured, by a screwthreaded joint, d, a detachable valve-chamber', D.

E isapipe or small tube passing through the center of the float A, andsecured to its wall and projecting therefrom both above and below, theprojecting parts e e forming guides to direct the upward and downwardmovement of the float. These projections enter the bores ff of thefittings a a and form guide-ways.

The valve B and its seat Z are located at a distance below the float andits case; as well as below the lower or water connection with theboiler, and below the supply or inlet pipe K, in order that the valvemay be free from or escape the injurious and often destructive effect ofthe hot water, which in most constructions of this class has had directaccess to the valve, and also to enable the valve to be inclosed in achamber removed from and substantially independent of thewater-receiving casing which contains the float which operates thevalve, and below the inlet or supply pipe, so that such chamber can bedetached and the advantages of its detachment be availed of. g In thedrawing the valve B is shown as consisting of a cylinder, 9, ofindiarubber or other suitable material, seated in a cup, h, thesepartsbeing secured together by a wire or rod stem, 11, passing throughthe rubber'and screwed into the bottom of the cup. The stem i passes upthrough a channel, j, in the coupling a, connecting the valve andthelower boiler-connections, the channel being preferably but littlelarger than the stem 1'. This channel is conveniently formed by boring ahole longitudinally through a plug, F, fitted into the bore of thecoupling 0 at its upper end, and preferably Y made tapering or cutawaybelow, so as to form a water-space, it, between the plug and the innerwall of the tube. The lower end, Z, of the plug forms the seat for thevalve B. The stem '5 of the valve B is secured to the float A in anydesirable way, the preferable attachment being to run the stem withinthe tubeE and attach it to a plug, 0, in its upper end, where it can beeasily reached, if desired.

The detachable valve-chamberD consists of a cylindrical or other shapedvessel, secured to and removable from the coupling at the screwthreadedjoint d. This chamber is provided with transparent windows '10, locatedopposite the valve B, and conveniently formed by cutting out portions ofthe outer metal case or wall, 10, and introducing a glass or othertransparent thimble, r, within the same, the thimble and case beingtightly secured by a suitable packing, s, between their ends and thescrewtop of the chamber. G is a petcock located in the bottom of thechamber D.

The above-described parts, combined substantially as described, andshown in the drawing, form a complete water feeder for the purposesnamed, capable of easy attachment to almost any boiler, and constitutinga separate article of manufacture and sale.

. lows:

The drawing shows the feeder properly connected with a boiler and supplyor inlet pipe, and ready for operation, the simple and convenientconnections being described as follo ws: The upper and lowerboiler-connec tions, I and J, are screwed into the cross-couplings b and1), corresponding connections, I and J, being made with agage-glass, H.These connections place the interior of the case 0 and the exterior ofthe float A in direct communication with the steam and water portions ofthe boiler L,the steam andwater being free to pass to and from the case0 and boiler Lthrough the channelsff and connections Iand J. The supplyor inlet pipe K is attached to the coupling c by a screw-threaded joint,1, this pipe being connected with the street-main, or with some supplyupon a higher level than the water-line of the boiler. The dotted linesin the valve-chamber D and in the case 0 'show the position of the valveB and float A before the float has been raised by the admission ofsuflicient water into the case 0.

The operation of the water-feeder is as fol- The water from theinlet-pipe Kflows downwardly into the chamber D, and if the valve B isopen, or not closed tightly upon its seat,the water flows through thechannel or way j through the connection J into the boiler L, and as theboiler fills the water flows through the lower channel, f, and rises inthe case 0 and around the float A to the same level as in the boiler.When sufiicient water has entered the case 0 to begin-to raise the floatA, the valve B begins to rise toward its seat Z, and the water continuesto flow in until the valve is closely drawn and held water tight againstits seat. This closing and holding the valve against its seat after theboiler has been filled to a certain height establishes the water-line inthe boiler, and the case, with its float, may be so positionedrelatively to the wall of the boiler as to establish this waterline atany desired height. As the water in the boiler is gradually diminishedand the water-line falls, the float will fall with the water and thevalve B be slightly depressed or loosened on its seat, and a sufficientquantity of water he admitted to the boiler to restore its normalwater-line. In practice so delicate is the apparatus that any waste ofwater is almost instantly replaced by a new supply,keeping the waterconstantly up to substantially the same level and giving to the valve analmost constant but slight movement. The location and-vertical play ofthe stemi within the narrow water-channel j operates to keep the channelopen for the free passage of the water.

The union of the valve-chamber D with the coupling a by thescrew-threaded joint d, and the location of this joint below thesupplypipe K, provide means for readily detaching the chamber for thepurpose of thoroughly cleaning it, or for the purpose of repairing thevalve, without the employment of skilled labor. The location of thevalvechamber at the lowest part of the structure enables-a simplescrew-cap to be almost instantly substituted for the removed chamber,and the feed of the water and the working of the valve can be continuedduring the temporary absence of the chamber proper; also, as thevalve-chain ber is located below the supply or inlet pipe and isprovided with a cock, G, at its bottom, any sediment which may collectin the chamber may be carried out through the cockway, and by permittingthe flow of the water under the full force of the main or tank, theinterior surface of the windows of the chamber may be washed and keptreasonably clean, so that the detaching of the chamber for the purposeof cleaning the windows will be rendered less frequent. This ispracticable, since the narrow channel between the chamber and the boilerwill not permit of any rapid flow of water from the boiler when the cockG is opened.

One of the great advantages of this feeder is that the valve B is solocated as to be free from the deleterious effects of the hot water, andin this respect it is distinguished from most constructions of the kind.The valve is placed at a considerable distance below the lowerboiler-connection, and the hot water, in order to reach it, mustpenetrate downward through a column of cold water. To give additionalprotection to the valve it may be provided that the only communicationbetween it and the hot water may be through the narrow stem-channel j,and also that the walls of this channel may be surrounded with coldwater in direct connection with the inlet-pipe and the valve-chamber.The valve is also located outside of the case 0 and is only connectedwith it through a narrow water-channel when the valve is open. Thisenables the valve to be inclosed in a separate chamber, which can beeasily detached without recourse to skilled labor, as described, for thepurpose of removing any foreign substance which might interfere with itaction; so, also, as the valvechamber is located below the supply orinlet pipe and is provided with a cock, G, at its bottom, any collectedsediment may be expelled from the chamber by opening the cock andpermitting the supply-Water, under full pressure of the main or tank, toflow through it, and at the same time the interior surface of thewindows with which the chamber may be provided will be washed by theflow and pressure of the water.

It is not intended that this invention shall be limited to the exactconstruction, location, or arrangement of the several parts shown in thedrawing, since it is evident that there can be a wide departure from thedetails there shown, and yet employ substantially the same principle ofconstruction and operationas, for instance, I do not limit the inventionto the use of a spherical-shaped float or case, as other forms may beemployed and will operate in substantially the same way. Neither do Ilimit myself to the special guides e e, or guideways,,or either of them,or to the tube passingthrough the float, or to the attachment of thevalve-stem to the upper part of the float, it being obvious that thefloat, if properly guided in any manner, will operate the valve attachedthereto in substantially the same manner as shown and described. Neitherdo I limit myself to any special form of valve, or seat, orvalve-chamber, it being, however, true that the special arrangement andconstruction of the various parts as shown in-the drawing are welladapted to the successful working of the device.

What I claim as new in an automatic waterfeeder is- 1. A floatconstructed to rise'and fall in an inclosing-case with the rise and fallof water therein, in combination with a valvelocated below the lowerboiler-connection and below the supply or inlet pipe, whereby the valveis protected from contact with the hot water of the boiler,substantially as set forth.

2. A valve-chamber provided with transparent windows, and a cock locatedbelow'such windows, in combination with a supply or in let pipe locatedabove such valvechamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A tube attached to and projecting downward from a float, incombination with a valve whose stem is received within such tube,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A tube passing through a float and projecting beyond the upper andlower surface thereof to form guides, in combination with a valve whosestem is attached at or near the upper end of such tube, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

5. A Water-way or channel connecting the valve-chamber and thewater-connection of a boiler, in combination with a cold-water spacesurrounding or partially surrounding the walls of said channel,substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A plug provided with a channel or waterway, and located between thewaterconnection of a boiler and a valve-chamber, in combination with avalvewhose seat is the lower end of such plug, and whose stem rises andfalls in such channel by the rise and fall of a float located above saidplug, substantially as and for the purpose described.

SAMUEL F. GOLD.

Witnesses: 3

E0131. H. DUNCAN, R0131. F. GAYLORD.

